Over 250,000 people headed west on the california trail to a land of opportunity, freedom, riches, and adventure. Also we must be prepared to bring enough food for the journey. From 1843 to 1869 the largest voluntary migration in history took place on the. Oregon trail simulation by history gal teachers pay teachers. John jacob astor and thomas jeffersons lost pacific e. Many of the inscriptions are from the peak years of oregon trail travel in the 1840s and 1850s. The area close to register cliff was the first nights camp west of fort laramie. Immerse yourself in trail lore, experience stories of settlers and dispel some trail myths at the end of the oregon trail interpretive. The oregon trail is one of the most successful video games of all time, introducing a generation of kids to the difficult, hopeful journey of american pioneers. Over the next 20 years, hundreds of thousands of people migrated west, many of them settling in oregon.
A color, topographical map of the entire oregon nht is available as a pdf file 2. Choose from 500 different sets of oregon trail history flashcards on quizlet. This famous wagon route, spanning 2,170 miles 3,490 km, was the largest migration in american history. The oregon trail, life on the wagon trains free american. Out on the trail there are no hotels so we will be camping outside every night, rain or shine. The 2,200mile eastwest trail served as a critical transportation route for emigrants traveling from missouri to oregon and other points west during the mid1800s. As a farmer, it may be a steep price, but i will get you across the trail without any problems. History westward expansion the oregon trail was a major route that people took when migrating to the western part of the united states. Includes details of the covered wagons and supplies, and the landmark stops. In 2018, the pioneer spirit comes alive in oregon for the 175th anniversary of the historic oregon trail. The oregon trail is an important part of the history of the united states. This lessonunit is designed for fourth andor fifth grade students studying the oregon trail. With engaging pictures and text, this nonfiction narrative describes the excitement and hardships of the westward expansion along a 2,000mile stretch known as the oregon trail.
This oregon trail map shows the grandaddy of them all. The early oregon pioneers not only gained the first secure foothold for the american people on the pacific. Until the story of the oregon movement is thus set forth, the historians of our national life cannot. Answer the following questions in complete and historically accurate sentences. The oregon trail is a historic 2,000mile 3,264km trail used by american pioneers living in the great plains in the 19th century. History and educational resources, from bureau of land management oregon trail map. The plot thickens in oregon city, historic site of the landgrant office where trail travelers signed their documents and received land assignments.
Includes stepbystep directions, plus reproducible student worksheets, charts, maps, and rubricseverything you need to run a successful simulation. In popular culture, the oregon trail is perhaps the most iconic subject in the larger history of oregon. Oregon country, a large region explored by americans and the british and generally known to canadians as the columbia district. Abner hacklemans 1845 trip to oregon introduction thurston gilchrist was proud of the contribution by oregon s early settlers and of his connection to the hackleman family. The oregon trail escape room will take students on a secret mission around the classroom. Facts, information and articles about the oregon trail, a part of westward expansion from the wild west. Sometimes students just need a day of movement around the room. There are teacher lesson plans, online games for students, power point presentations, a kids section, free videos and much more. For many years it was an important stop along the oregon trail where supplies and information could be obtained. Since i am especially interested in linn county and oregon trail history, he was always willing to share information that he thought would be of interest to me. It was a rough path, somewhat connected, made by trappers and native americans.
The oregon trail was a roughly 2,000mile route from independence, missouri, to oregon city, oregon, which was used by hundreds of thousands of american shows this day in history. Technically there were three trails, more generally referred to as the emigrant trail. The emigrants traveled by wagon in search of fertile land in oregon s willamette valley. Because the over 2,000 mile long trail covers parts of seven states, this map measures approximately 50 x 10. Relive the pioneer experience in your classroom with this easytoimplement, weeklong simulation. Oregon historic trails report book 1998 oregon community. Some have calculated that there is a pioneer grave for every 80 yards on the oregon trail.
By the same token, the oregon trail sounded the death knell for a great many american indians. Pack your wagon lesson plan bureau of land management. It was not a road in any modern sense, only parallel ruts. Various trails followed the eastern portion of this route, including the california and mormon trails. In addition to the beautiful collaborative poster, students will complete a close. The lessons in this unit are directly tied to the fourth grade state standards. The oregon trail migration, more correctly known as the. The first nonmissionary family to farm in oregon country traveled the oregon trail in 1840.
Students research the history of the oregon trail and role play to invent objects needed by immigrants in the 1850s. It adorns a recent oregon highway license plate, is an obligatory reference in the resettlement of oregon, and has long attracted study, commemoration, and celebration as a foundational event in the states past. The purpose of this webquest is not only to provide the history of how the west was pioneered, but also a source of. Although more emigrants used this trail to reach california than oregon, the original route to oregon was established first and is arguably of more. The oregon trail was a wagon road stretching 2,000 miles from missouri to oregons willamette valley. The print shop order on pages 4 6 is for the worksheets needed to teach this unit as written. Basic facts of the oregon trail bureau of land management. When studying the oregon trail, students often lose sight of the reason behind why the trail. The oregon trail, life on the wagon trains for kids and teachers.
Swbat identify the purpose of the oregon trail swbat explain the living conditions along the trail do now directions. Students take on the roles of various citizens from the 1840s and experience the challenges of traveling in a wagon on the oregon trail. Along the way, it traverses the states of kansas, nebraska, wyoming and. Perhaps some 300,000 to 400,000 people used it during its heyday from the mid1840s to the late 1860s, and possibly a half million traversed it overall, covering an average of 15 to 20 miles 24 to 32 km per day. Modernday auto tour routes follow or closely parallel the historic roads with state map images and driving directions that provide opportunities for discovering the remnants and significant resources of the trail. Independence courthouse rock chimney rock fort laramie independence rock fort bridger. Oregon s untold history timeline of oregon s racial and education history 8,000 bce before the common era the first record of ancient human activity in oregon came from archaeologist luther cressmans 1938 excavations at fort rock cave in central oregon and radiocarbon dating of 10,000 year old sandals. Oregon trail the online encyclopedia of wyoming history. National historic oregon trail interpretive center by dennis frates. Retrace the riveting history of the epic journey west. This trail system consists of the nels rogers trail, the wilson river wagon road trail and the gravelle brothers etrail. Putnam nathaniel wyeth built a trading post along the snake river in 1834. Oregon trail to oregon s willamette valley california trail and mormon trail to salt lake city, utah, in nebraska territory, around sweetwater crossing, the three trails share the same route. Your students will enjoy learning about the history and geography of the oregon trail with the components of this engaging, helpful resource.
The oregon trail the oregon trail was 2000 miles long. The oregon trail began in independence, missouri and. The established route of the oregon trail begins in independence, missouri, and ends in oregon city. By 1843, when the first large wagon train was organized, a route existed across the continent from independence, missouri to the pacific ocean. Learn oregon trail history with free interactive flashcards. This webquest is a great introduction to the process of conducting a research project while learning about the pioneers of the west. This escape room has students decode interesting facts about the oregon trail, manifest destiny and westward expansion. Oregon trailfacts, information and articles about the. From 1841 1849 thousands of pioneers traveled west on the oregon trail. National historic oregon trail interpretive center baker city, or oregontrail. End of the oregon trail interpretive center oregon city. Travelers were inspired by dreams of gold and rich farmlands, but they were also motivated by difficult. Between 1841 and 1869, hundreds of thousands of people traveled westward on the trail.
The oregon trail starting in the 1840s, settlers from the east began to travel to oregon country using the oregon trail. Highest score ever achieved in oregon trail history. As they travelled from missouri to oregon, players would ford rivers, hunt for food, manage their supplies, and. Oregon trail page 2 these lesson plans were written as a guideline to teach the oregon trail. Back in the 1800s, thousands of brave people followed this route across the country, riding in rickety wagons, in order to own their own land in oregon. Pack your wagon an oregon trail lesson in group decision making, and what impacts our choices for teachers. Click on a landmark on the map above or a name below for a photo. Most of the available lists of pioneers have been compiled by historical societies and genealogical organizations by soliciting information from pioneer. The oregon trail descended through a narrow canyon along ross fork before opening up to the snake river bottoms. This was the family of joel walker, the brother of mountain man joseph walker. The oregon trail was first written about by an american. It was one of the two main emigrant routes to the american west in the 19th century, the other being the southerly santa fe trail.
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